Offers of an occasional diaper change from my aunt had stopped after I began to decline them. I even had my own debit card, which they sent money to so that I could make purchases of diapers and pull-ups for myself. This newfound independence helped alleviate the annoyance of having to forego wearing panties, several pairs of which were now located in the top drawer of my dresser, next to my pull-ups. I could have stuck the underwear in the closet, hidden away until I was fully ready for it, but I had been so excited about the purchase that I wasn’t able to keep them out of sight.